Securing means for electrical connecters



ul 5, 1932. M. GUETT- 1,866,407

SECURING MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTERS Filed Nov. 6. 1930 21/ mm W Wm INVENTOR NROE GUETT rammed July 5, 19 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MONROE GUETT, OF HARTFORD, CONNEGELICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ARROW- HART & HEGEMAN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT SECURING MEANS FOR ELECTRICAL CONNECTERS Application filed November 6, 1930. Serial No. 493,868.

This invention relates to electric connecting devices, more particularly it relates to quickdetachable connecters provided with socket contacts which are adapted to cooperate with contact fingers whichproject from an electrical translating device.

Heretofore this type of connecter .has com.- monly been made of two similar halves which have been secured together either by nuts and Lo bolts piercing the two halves or by a metallic band surrounding them. The nut and bolt method had the disadvantage that the bolt loosened and had to be repeatedly tightened; and the metallic bands have not been wholly L5 satisfactory.

It is an object of my invention to provide a more simple securing means which may be removed and replaced more quickly that the prior securing devices and which can be m manufactured very cheaply.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View of the feed line end of a connecter having a switch mechanism incorporated therein and having its halves s held together by a modified form of my securing means.

Fig. 2 is a view of the contact-finger-receiving end of the connecter shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a section view of the connecter and g securing means shown in Figs. 1 and 2-, the

section being taken at right angles to the divisional plane between the two halves of the connecter.

Referring to the drawing, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 ;5 show a conventional connecter having similar complementary halves and 12 made of an insulating composition and having cavities 14, 16 molded in one surface thereof to receive the usual electrical switch mechanism. The

L0 connecter shown is of the switch type, the

According to my invention the halves of the connecter are held together at one end by a split metal ring 32 which possesses the characteristics of stiffness and resiliency. The ring fits snugly around a cylindrical nub 30, which defines the feed wire aperture 31. One half of the nub is formed on each half of the connecter at the feed wire aper ture. To hold the ring in place around the nub, a bead or the like may be formed varound the top of the nub.

Each half of the connecter has cut in it at the outer end an L-shaped channel 33 extending down the side of the connecter around the edge to a position between the contact apertures, 34 35. The channel in one half of the connecter registers with that of the other half and there is seated in the continuous passage thus formed a metallic U-shaped spring clip 36. The legs of this clip bearing against the bottom of the channel press the two halves of the connecter together at the contact receiving end thereof.

The spring clip 36 and the ring 32 may be cut from steel wire. I Thus the costof the connecter is reduced without impairment of quality over prior connecters. From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple, secure means to hold the halves of a connecter together, which means may be quickly removed and replaced without the necessity for the use of the customary tools.

I claim:

1. An electrical connecting device compris ing a casing formed of a plurality of parts and having a substantially circular channel formed therein adjacent to one end of said device and a substantially U-shaped channel formed therein adjacent the other end of said device, portions of each of said channels being located in each of'said parts, a spring ring engaging in said circular channel and a spring clip engaging in said U channel whereby said parts are held together.

2. An electrical connecting device comprising a casing formed of a plurality of parts and having a substantially circular channel formed therein and a substantially U-shaped channel formed therein, portions of mo each of said channels being located in each of said parts, said circular channel being formed around the feed wire opening and said U channel being formed between the contact 5 apertures of the device, a ring engaging in said circular channel and a spring clip engaging in said U channel whereby said parts are held together.

3. An electrical connecting device compris- 'ing a casing formed of a plurality of parts and having a substantially circular channel formed therein adjacent to one end of said device anda substantially U-shaped channel formed therein adjacent the other end of 15 said device, portions of said channels being located in each of said parts,. a spring ring engaging in said circular channel and a spring clip engaging in said U-channel, whereby said parts are held together, the plane of said clip 20 being perpendicular to the plane of said ring. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

. MONROE GUETT. 

